OCAD University acknowledges the ancestral territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabeg and the Huron-Wendat, who are the original owners and custodians of the land on which we work, stand and create.

OCAD University, Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university, is a vibrant community of bold, curious and compassionate artists, designers and scholars who are imagining and creating a joyful, equitable and sustainable world. The University is an internationally renowned hub for art, design, digital media, research, innovation and creativity, and arts administration. It embraces collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to change-making through art, design-thinking curriculum and research, making OCAD U a local, regional, national and global leader in art and design.

It is an exciting time to join the OCAD U community. The University is at a key stage in its institutional transformation, with the implementation of its Academic and Strategic Plan and guiding principles—driving positive impact, decolonization, indigenization, and equity, environmental sustainability, emerging as a vibrant hub, student-centered approaches, innovation in learning, teaching, and research, and financial stewardship.

Project Details:
Many people acknowledge the importance of arts education, but accessing it can be difficult, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds. This situation reveals a gap between understanding the value of arts education and having the opportunity to pursue it. To help the Admissions and Recruitment team make post-secondary arts education more equitable, we are looking for a research assistant. This person will collaborate with the Admissions and Recruitment teams to collect and analyze data and gather community insights about perceptions and barriers to access. By better understanding these challenges, we can identify ways to reduce obstacles and help talented individuals reach their creative potential.

Responsibilities:

• Working under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, Gary Newman and Sean Baker, in support of the project’s research goals and objectives
• Reporting to the Director of Learning Pathways and Community Outreach Advisor within Admissions & Recruitment.
• Assisting with data collection, literature searches, data compilation, processing, entry and analysis
• Assisting with the promotion of research activities
• Participating in the provision of safe and secure environment for all members of the University community and its facilities

Qualifications:

• Completion of a relevant undergraduate/graduate degree or current enrollment in a relevant undergraduate program and/or equivalent training and professional experience
• Where relevant, sound knowledge of, and commitment to, healthy and safe work practices
• Where relevant, strong organizational, interpersonal, oral and written communications and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of equity and diversity and experience promoting a respectful work and learning environment for students, staff and faculty

Hours of Work: 7 hours per weekover the period of November 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.

Work Environment: The incumbent in this role will be expected to report to work on campus.

Compensation: $37.28 (Graduate Rate) per hour, subject to qualifications, plus 6% in lieu of benefits and 4% vacation pay, less statutory deductions. This position is covered by the Memorandum of Agreement between the University and the OCAD U Faculty Association and the terms and conditions of employment are governed by its provisions.

Please note the following:

• Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada for any employer (with a valid work or study permit, SIN and Canadian bank account).
• Current students at OCAD University will be given priority consideration for all Research Assistant positions, with the highest priority given to those not currently holding any other TA/RA positions at the University.
• This appointment is conditional upon funding of the Project by OCAD U’s external funding partner(s)
• If you are a work or study permit holder, please note a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) and Canadian bank account is a condition of employment.

Applications should include:

• A one-page cover letter explaining the candidate’s interest
• A curriculum vitae
• The contact information for three (3) referees

Please upload all three (3) components as one PDF*. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please name your upload:* FirstName_LastName-Job Code

Interested applicants are invited to submit their application in confidence addressed to Sean Baker, Director, Learning Pathways, Admissions & Recruitment .

The review of applications will begin on Tuesday October 28, 2025 and will continue until the position has been filled.

If you require application support, please contact the People & Culture Office. Please note that People & Culture cannot update you on the status of your application as these searches are decentralized. You will only be contacted if you are shortlisted for an interview. If the posting is advertised, we are still accepting applications.

As an employer committed to employment equity, we encourage applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.

We encourage members of designated equity-seeking groups to self-identify within the voluntary Applicant Questionnaire*.*

OCAD U is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact People & Culture for more information or refer to OCAD U’s Policy of Accommodation in Employment for Persons with Disabilities*.*

All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short-listed will be contacted.